UNDATED (AP) — Fans and players who will be at Coors Field for the MLB’s All-Star Game are both looking forward to the Greatest Sho on Earth. That’s S-H-O as in Shohei Ohtani.
Shohei Ohtani is the top star of baseball’s midsummer classic, the center of attention for players and fans like no one before. Fans cheered when he was introduced at a news conference located outdoors, across the street from Coors Field due to the pandemic.
Ohtani has generated huge buzz across baseball for his exploits at the plate and on the mound. He leads the majors with 33 home runs and is 4-1 with a 3.49 ERA in 13 starts. Max Scherzer of the Washington Nationals will start for the NL in the game at Coors Field in Denver.
In other MLB news:
— Pete Alonso danced to his second straight Home Run Derby title, besting Shohei Ohtani, Trey Mancini and Juan Soto on a night of record long balls in the thin Rocky Mountain air of Coors Field. The New York Mets first baseman hit 74 total home runs and beat Mancini 23-22 in the final round, joining Ken Griffey Jr. (1998-99) and Yoenis Céspedes (2013-14) in winning consecutive titles. Batting second, Alonso trailed 22-17 after the first two minutes of the final round, then hit six homers on six swings over the first 28 seconds of his final minute.
— Arrest documents say a man described by authorities as the leader of a group of four people arrested with more than a dozen weapons and hundreds of rounds of ammunition at a Denver hotel near the upcoming Major League Baseball All-Star Game asked to extend his stay and requested another room with a balcony. The request by Ricardo Rodriquez coupled with the discovery of weapons and tactical gear on Friday concerned police because of the chances for mass violence at such events. Rodriquez told Denver’s KCNC-TV that he wasn’t aware of any such plans.
— Major League Baseball will give at least $100 million over 10 years and help raise an additional $50 million to the Players Alliance aimed at increasing the number of Blacks playing the sport and eventually making the big leagues. Baseball Commissioner Rob Manfred announced the decision before the All-Star Home Run Derby, saying it would be the sport’s largest charitable commitment. The Players Alliance was launched last year, and MLB and the Major League Players Association announced a $10 million commitment last September. In addition, 500 players donated a portion of their salaries on April 15, Jackie Robinson Day.
— The Seattle Mariners have reinstated left-hander Yusei Kikuchi from the injured list, making him eligible to participate in the All-Star Game. Kikuchi was selected to the American League All-Star team for the first time in his career and is Seattle’s lone representative. The Mariners placed Kikuchi on the injured list Sunday but did not disclose an injury. Manager Scott Servais said he could not comment but wasn’t concerned about Kikuchi’s status.
